New signs at Shelburne Regional High School have been placed throughout the school to encourage an openness and acceptance of diversity in their community.

The signs show a traditional stick man, woman, wheelchair and transgender friendly symbol stating that the facility is an all gender washroom.

“Now we can support youth, staff and the greater community,” said Mary Manning, principal of the school.

She said the idea had come to her after she had attended to a talk about creating a welcoming community for transgender people.

“It really opened my eyes,” she said. “I’ve never considered or thought about it before.”

They invited the speaker Nolan Pike through the Youth Project to the school to give a talk to each of the classrooms.

“If you are a transgender person public washrooms can be threatening and unsafe,” said Manning. “They can be a place for bullying to happen.”

The school took the initiative to create the signs and the tech class made new signs for all the single stall bathrooms in the school. The larger main bathrooms in the school remain gender-specific for girls and boys.